the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reports that 2014 saw a continued decrease in global pirate activities declining 7% over 2013; in 2014, pirates attacked a total of 245 ships world-wide including hijacking 21 ships, capturing 442 seafarers, and killing 4; the Horn of Africa continued to see a drop in pirate activities with only 11 incidents in 2014 compared with 15 in 2013 and 236 in 2011; the decrease in successful pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa is due, in part, to more aggressive anti-piracy operations by international naval forces, the hardening of vessels, and the increased use of armed security teams aboard merchant ships; despite these preventative measures, the assessed risk remains high; attacks in the Straits of Malacca and South China Sea accounted for 55% of ships attacked in 2014; West African piracy is a growing threat accounting for 16% of all attacks in 2014; Nigerian pirates are very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore and linked with at least four hijackings that occurred in this area; attacks in South Asian waters remain at low levels although incidents have increased each year since 2010 reaching 34 in 2014; as of October 2015, there were 190 attacks worldwide with 15 hijackings in the Straits of Malacca/South China Sea region and West African waters